Dismantling-tool



' E. F. WILKINSON.

DISMANTLING TOOL. APPLlCATION FILED APR. 1. m9.

Patented July--22, 1919. fi

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ii 2? I 1 I 16" If lnvenlmr li'dwai'cili'h iwmm fon rnn STATES PATENTonnion.

EDWARD F. WILKINSON, OF GRAMERCY, LOUISIANA.

DISMANTLING-TOOL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 22,1919.

Application filed April 1, 1919. Serial No. 288,688.

tains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to improvements in dismantling tools foruse in tearing down woodwork construction, and is intended to beparticularly useful in the dismemberment of tongue and groove boardsforming floor, ceiling and wall construction.

' dismantling of woodwork construction.

The invention will be more fully understood after reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which like parts are indicated by similar;reference symbols throughout the several views, and inwhichz- Figurelisan elevational view of an improved dismantling toolconstructed inaccordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevational view, with parts shown in section, ofthe same, with an extension handle applied thereto.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. 1.1

Fig. 4 is a similar sectional view taken on the line inFig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on'theline 55 in Fig. 3.

Referring nowmore particularly to the drawings, 1 designates'the'shankof the improved dismantling tool, being formed at one end with a nailextracting claw 2 and with a chisel edge 3 at its oppositeend.

A lower foot 4 is connected to a sleeve 5, which may be slidable on theshank 1 to adinit of adjustment, "or maybe made fixed with respect tothe shank 1, as may be desired. As shown in Fig. 2, a spline 6 isrecelved into a groove 7 in the sleeve 5, which permits of this verticaladjustment of the sleeve and lower foot 4, while at the same timepreventing the rotation of the sleeve on the shank.

A brace 8 connects the lower end of the sleeve 5 with the outer end ofthe lower foot 4, in order to support the latter where the most strainis received thereon. At its other end the lower foot 4 is formed into anail extracting claw 9 for use where the claw 2 is not so applicable, ashereinafter set forth.

Above the lower foot 4 is an upper companion foot 10, carried on asleeve 11 slidable on the shank 1, and also having engagement with thespline 6 in order to prevent the rotation of the sleeve on said shank;whereby the vertical alinement of the two feet may be at all timespreserved.

A brace 12 is connected between the upper end ofthe sleeve 11 and theupper foot 10 in order to reinforce the latter. As shown in Figs. 8 and4 set screws 13 may be employed to bind the sleeves 5 and 11 to theshank 1 after the desired adjustment has been effected. The upper foot10 is formed with elongated? grooves or guidieways 14 along its oppositelongitudinal edges to slidinglyreceive the overturned flanges 15 on anextension toe 16. As indicated in d0tted linesin Fig. 2, this extensiontoe 16 is capable of being movedback and forth over the guideways 14,and in this manner the length of the upper foot is either enlarged ordiminished as required by the width of the boards operated upon, as willbe later explained.

A bridgel 17 is connected "between the guideways Men the upper part ofthe extension toe .16 and carries a set screw 18 which is adapted toengage against the upper face ofthe foot 10 in order to bind theextension toe 16 in the position to which it has been adjusted.

As is apparent from Figs. 1 and 2, the outer free end of this extensiontoe 16 is beveled, as represented at 19, in order to permit the actionof the toe as presently explained.

In Fig. 2 there is shown an extension handle 20 having a angled end 21provided with collars 22 and 23, which are received over the upper endof the shank l when the tool is to be used in inaccessible places or atheights requiring increased reach. A set screw 24 may be carried by oneof the collars to bind against the shank l 'in order to hold theextension handle 20 in place thereon. The opposite end of the extensionhandle 20 is formed with a socket 25 of a size to fit the shank 1, and afastening means indicated at 26 may be employed to secure the socket inplace on the shank.

It will be evident that by disengaging the collars 22 and 23 andreversing the extension handle 20, so that the socket 25, which is inaxial alinement with the axis of the handle 20, is received over theupper end of the shank 1, the handle 20 will then extend in a straightline with the shank 1. The extension handle 20 therefore may beconnected either in the angular relation shown in Fig. 2, or in astraight line with the shank 1, as various uses require.

In use, the tool is applied as shown in Fig. 1 after the nails have beenfirst extracted from the boards shown in dotted lines at 27 by the claw2, and the first board pried out of place by the chisel edge 3. Theboard removed by this chisel edge admits the shank 1 to be passed downthrough the flooring, as shown in Fig. 1, and the lower and upper feet 4and 10 are then engaged with the next board 27 in the manner indicated.The lower foot 4 engages beneath the board while the upper foot 10extends above the same, and the extension toe 16 is so adjusted as tobring its beveled edge 19 just beyond the tongue and groove connectionbetween the board worked upon and that next to the same.

The shank 1 is thereupon lifted, or allowed to exert a lever movementwith the end 19 ofthe toe as a fulcrum, and this action will have theeffect to lift the board and to with draw the tongue from the groovewithout.

injury thereto. The tool is worked from one end of the board toward thecenter, and is then carried tothe opposite end of the board andfrom'that end likewise worked over to the center of the board. In thismanner the board is loosened all along its length gradually and afterthe center is arrived at, after being worked to from both ends, theboard issufficiently loose to be pried entirely out of place and removedfrom the ceiling- Subsequent boards are similarly acted upon with likeresults.

In case the boards are of greater width than shown in Fig. 1, the setscrews 18 may be loosened and the extension toe 16 set fartherout on theupper foot 10 so as to i always give the beveled edge. 19 a bearing.

The upper :foot,..and. extension toe are 1 also capable of a verticaladjustment by loosening the set screw 13 and raising the sleeve 11 onthe shank 1, and this adjustment is advantageous when boards of agreater thickness than indicated in Fig. 1 are to be operated upon.

The sliding sleeves also admit of bringing the feet closer togetherwhere the boards are of lesser thickness.

Either the upper sleeve 11 may be shifted to effect this-verticaladjustment, or both the upper sleeve 11 and the lower sleeve 5 may besimultaneously moved as desired.

In dismantling ceiling, the extension handle 20- becomes of greatvalueas it enables the workman to gain access to the ceiling without thenecessity of erecting a scafiold. The angular position of the extensionhandle 20 is found to be most advantageous in the dismantling of wallboards, as it enables the gap between the lower foot% and upper foot 10to be-Worked up and down the full length of the wall boards, while atthe same time placing the operator in a convenient positionwith respectto the wall and transmitting the force applied in the most effectivedirection;

The claw 9 is also advantageous in removing thenails from the wallboards, as the sides of the shankl would prevent the convenientoperation of the lower nail extractor 2 for this :purpose.

It will probably be found most convenient to reverse the extensionhandle 20 from the position shown in Fig. 2 in order to bring same inalinement with the shank 1 when ceiling is to be dismantled, as thisgives the workman a greater reach and enables him to pull directlydownward on the boards, or to rotate the implement about the extensiontoe as a center with ease and convenience.

It will be obvious that various modifications might be made in theherein described apparatus, and in the combination and arrangement ofparts which could be used without departing; from the spirit of myinvention, .andI do not mean to limit the invention to suchdetailsexcept as particularly pointed out in the claims.

Having thus described" myinvention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States is y 1. A dismantling tool of thecharacter described, includinga shank, a lower footrcarried by saidshank and adapted to'be engaged atone side of aboard to be removed, andan upper foot movable longitudinally on said shank and adapted to engageatithe opposite sideof saidboard, substantially as described- 2. An.improved dismantling implement including a shank, spaced feet on saidshank adjustablev toward and from each other, and

one of said feetcarryinga fulcrum for the tool, 'sulostanti ally -asd0scr-ibed.=-,. v

3. An improved dismantling tool including spaced feet, a shank carryingsaid spaced feet, and an extension toe carried by and movable withrespect to one of said feet and having a fulcrum for the tool,substantially as described.

4. Animproved dismantling tool including a shank, spaced feet on saidshank, an extension toe carried by and movable with respect to one ofsaid feet, and means to hold the extension toe in adjusted position,substantially as described.

5. An improved dismantling tool inc-luding a shank, spaced feet carriedon said shank, an extension toe supported by and having a slidablemovement with respect to one of said feet, and means for fastening theextension toe in the adjusted position, said extension toe having afulcrum for the tool, substantially as described.

6. An improved dismantling tool including a shank, spaced feetlongitudinally adjustable on said shank, a laterally adjustableextension toe carried by one of said feet, and means for securing thefeet and extension toe in adjusted position, substantially as described.

7. An improved dismantling tool including a shank, spaced feet on saidshank, and a reversible extension handle having an angled end forconnection to said shank, substantially as described.

8. An improved dismantling tool including a shank, spaced feeton saidshank, and an extension handle having a socket at one end in axialalinement with the handle and Copies of this patent may be obtained forfive cents each, by addressing the arranged to be received over the endof said shank, said extension handle also having an angled end oppositesaid socket, with means whereby said angled end may be clamped to saidshank for holding the extension handle at an angle to the axis of theshank, substantially as described.

9. An improved dismantling tool including a shank, feet on said shank,one of said feet being adjustable with respect to the other foot, and'areversible extension handle having an angled end adapted to be connectedto said shank, substantially as described.

10. An improved dismantling tool including a shank, spaced feet on saidshank, one of said feet having guideways, an extension toe havingflanges slidingly fitting in said guideways, and means whereby theextension toe may be clamped to said foot when adjusted, substantiallyas described.

11. An improved dismantling tool including a shank, spaced feet on saidshank, one of said feet having guide grooves along its longitudinaledges, an extension toe having flanges at its longitudinal edges bentover into said guide grooves whereby the toe may be slidably supportedon said foot, a bridge connected between said flanges and extending oversaid foot, and means carried by said bridge for binding against saidfoot to hold'the toe in adjusted position, said toe having a beveledoutward edge, substantially as described.

EDWARD F. WILKINSON.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G,-

